The school bell rang for break, releasing a flood of restless teenagers into the hallways and courtyard. Rain had begun to fall outside, thin and cold at first, then heavier by the second, soaking the stone paths and football field in minutes. Students pulled up hoods and covered their heads with books, scattering toward shelter—but not everyone.
Inside Class 3B, Iris sat silently between Oliver and Rayan, the sound of laughter and chatter outside dull against the windows. She twirled a pencil between her fingers, staring at nothing. Her white hair—still strange, still unreal—lay damp across her shoulders. She felt the unease stirring in her chest again. Something was coming.
Oliver nudged her gently. "Hey. You okay?"
"Yeah," she muttered. "Just tired."
Rayan gave a small smile. "Birthday blues?"
Iris opened her mouth to answer, but a high-pitched, mocking voice echoed from the hallway.
"What are those shoes, seriously? Are you walking around in trash bags?"
Laughter followed—cold and cruel.
Iris turned sharply toward the door.
Jennifer.
Iris stood so fast her chair scraped loudly behind her. Both boys blinked at her.
"Iris?" Oliver asked again. "Where are you going?"
But she was already gone.
She stormed down the hall like a bullet, her boots hitting the wet tile with sharp thuds. Her white hair clung to her back in the rain, soaked already. She saw them just before the courtyard—Jennifer, Harper, Lina, and their crowd, up to fifteen of them. Boys and girls, sneering like hyenas. And in the middle of it all was a small girl—new, pale, with oversized glasses and trembling hands. Mud streaked her skirt. Her knees were scraped. Tears ran silently down her face.
She was kneeling.
In front of Jennifer.
"Lick it," Jennifer said again, raising her boot. "Come on, peasant. Show us how low you really are."
The girl whimpered.
"I said—"
"Enough," Iris's voice rang out, sharp and deadly.
The crowd stilled.
Jennifer turned. "Oh, look who finally showed up. The white-haired freak."
"I said that's enough."
Jennifer smirked and rolled her eyes. "You're brave now because it's your birthday? Cute."
"I'm brave now," Iris said slowly, "because I'm tired."
Then she lunged.
Gasps echoed everywhere as Iris grabbed Jennifer by the collar, lifted her with shocking strength, and slammed her into the lockers. The metal clanged, and Jennifer's head whipped back with a crack. Students screamed and scrambled to follow the chaos as Iris dragged her by the arm all the way across the yard to the football field.
Mud squelched beneath their feet. The rain pounded harder.
By the time they reached the center of the field, nearly half the school had followed—phones out, whispering, shoving each other for a better view.
Iris dropped Jennifer in the mud and threw a wooden bat at her feet.
"Pick it up," she said, eyes blazing. "You've got a problem with me? Let's finish it."
Jennifer wiped blood from her lip, laughing spitefully. "You'll regret this."
But she didn't move to grab the bat.
Her army did.
Harper snarled. "Let's go, she wants to die."
Lina cracked her knuckles. "Freak's going down."
And then they came—all fifteen of them. Boys from the football team, girls from cheer. Tall, strong, trained, cocky.
But they didn't know Iris.
The first boy, Zack, lunged at her with a fist raised. Iris ducked and swept his legs clean off the ground, flipping him over her shoulder into the mud. He groaned, clutching his spine.
Two others tried to grab her arms. She twisted and snapped one boy's elbow with a swift backward bend. He howled and fell back, holding his limp arm. The other she elbowed straight in the jaw—his nose erupted in blood.
Harper shrieked and lunged at her, nails ready. Iris caught her wrist midair and broke it with a jerk. Harper dropped to her knees, screaming.
"Iris, behind you!" Rayan shouted from the crowd.
Too late.
A fist crashed into her ribs from behind. Another blow to the side of her face. Iris stumbled, tasting blood.
But then it happened.
A pulse.
Like a heartbeat, but louder.
Her fingers twitched, her pupils dilated, and for one moment, the rain stopped hitting her skin.
Time slowed.
She turned.
Lina grinned at her wickedly, about to punch again—but Iris caught her fist with one hand, twisting her entire arm behind her and slamming her face-first into the ground.
The crowd roared.
Someone screamed, "SHE'S CRAZY!"
"She's not human!"
"Dude, look at her eyes!"
And they were right.
Her eyes were glowing. White-hot, like fire trapped in ice.
Another football player—twice her size—charged at her.
She waited.
And then she moved.
One step to the left, duck, pivot—her boot connected with his stomach so hard he was launched backward, crashing into three others behind him.
Jennifer tried to crawl away unnoticed, but Iris saw her.
"No," she said, stepping forward.
Jennifer turned with terror in her eyes. "Please—"
Iris didn't stop.
She grabbed Jennifer by the front of her shirt and threw her to the center of the field. Everyone made room.
Jennifer tried to rise, but Iris was on her. She punched—once, twice, three times.
Blood splattered. The rain diluted it.
Jennifer whimpered, her face a mess of bruises and swelling.
Iris didn't stop.
She saw flashes—her dream again. A woman with long silver hair screaming, Run! Don't look back!
Something inside her broke.
A scream tore from her throat as she lifted Jennifer and slammed her into the mud.
"You… don't… get… to… hurt… anyone… anymore!"
Each word punctuated with another blow.
By the time Oliver and Rayan reached her, she was covered in blood and rain, panting like an animal.
"Iris," Oliver whispered, "You have to stop. You'll kill her."
Her fists trembled in the air. Jennifer's eyes were rolling back in her head.
Iris finally froze.
She stood, her white hair dripping, face scratched, knuckles swollen.
The field was dead silent.
Phones were down.
No one spoke.
She turned slowly, eyes still glowing faintly. "Next time," she said to the crowd, "I won't hold back."
And then she walked away.
Alone.
Leaving silence, blood, and broken bodies behind her.